Merry Christmas!!!!!

We all must have been really good this year.  Santa was really good to all of us at the Gaunce house this year.  It was so exciting this year.  Jim and I were SO excited this year.  Lucas was VERY interested in everything.  Bert the Elf was wonderful to us and we can't wait to see him again next year.  Lucas understood gifts, church, food, fun, and toys!  We read a ton of Christmas books this past month and I am so very ready to delete some of the Christmas specials from the DVR.  I love the holidays and the decorations and my husbands obsession with lights but I am ready to have my house back and organized.  

After church on Christmas eve, we stopped by a dear friends for a minute and visit.  Lucas didn't want to leave.  Once we got home we all got to open one gift, well Lucas got to open two.  We all got in our new jammies and read his new book about Christmas.  Then we headed outside to sprinkle reindeer food on the yard for the reindeer and laid out cookies for Santa.  (Jim added a bit more)

Here are a few of the many pictures that we have.  The work bench and tools that Santa made was a big hit.  Lucas can already find all of the tools when asked too!

He didn't really know what to think but he knew they were for him!  He made all of the animal sounds for us and drove the cars and trucks all over the house!

We headed to Nana and Poppas for brunch and it was delicious.  We had a great time there sharing with everyone in the family.  

We were tuckered out and headed home for a nap before the big packer game!!!!!  Of course we were decked out in our Randall Cobb jerseys (thanks dad!)

Lucas took the picture on my phone.......

The best part of my day was this little handmade gift.....

On either side was a hole that Jim and Lucas drilled.  Each contained a charm for my Pandora bracelet!  They are the sweetest boys ever!!!!

Merry Christmas to all!  

Another Reason for the Season

I love Pinterest!  I have to mention that first!!!!  I have found all kinds of fun recipes, craft projects and ideas for my house that I am so excited about!

One of the first things I found was this.....A No Sew Christmas Tree!

emptybobbinsewing.com

I thought Lucas and I would have a great time and Oh My Goodness WE DID!!!  Jim even came in and helped cut, glue, and create!  He came up with the garland and the lights idea!  Lucas and I worked on ornaments.  We have a ton of extra felt and plan on making a few more ornaments tonight!  I hope to pull this out again next year and make a few more ornaments.  It will be so much fun!

For our santa party I also used pinterest recipes that I found.  

freefunchristmas.com

bedifferentactnormal.com

Now seeing that I can make things I am totally ready for some of the other www.pinterest.com projects!!!!!

4 days until Christmas!  I can't wait to see Lucas!  So much fun!  Now onto Christmas parties, Birthday Dinners, Church and More!!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

Santa Video

I found this last year so I HAD to find it again this year.  I can't wait for Lucas to watch it!

Santa Video

He has been so into Christmas this year.  Looking all over the house for Bert the Elf in the mornings, watching holiday shows on TV and getting into Christmas lights everywhere!  It has been amazing to watch him get all excited about everything and I know it will just get better!

Jim has even put over 2000 lights on the treehouse!  He was out there again last night.  I think we are lighting up the neighborhood!

I can't wait for Friday.  We are taking the day off work and Jim and I are finishing up shopping, wrapping and last minute errands for Christmas.  I can't wait!  It will be nice to have a day together too!  Then we have great friends coming to visit saturday so watch out Lexington!

Christmas Time!!!

Oh how we love the holidays!  Now they are even better with Lucas.  Watching everything through his eyes and hearing what he has to say is the most wonderful!  The newest addition to our family (at least for the holidays) is Bert.  He is the new tradition around here and Lucas loves him!

Each morning Lucas runs around checking out all of the shelves, TV stand, curtain rods, looking for Bert.  He then says good morning and goes on his way.  He loves him.  He is also great for mommy and daddy to remind Lucas to be good because Bert is watching ;)

Our annual Christmas Party was this weekend and it was a blast.  Santa and Mrs. Claus stopped by for pictures too!  Santa told Bert he was really happy to see him again and to be careful travelling to him every night.  How cute!  Lucas was weary at first but he came around.  At least with momma there.  

It was so much fun visiting with friends and meeting all of the new additions to this group.  Four new babies made it this year.  I can't wait for the years to come as our group grows and we can continue this tradition!  

Now on to the rest of Christmas Shopping, Wrapping Gifts, writing letter to Santa, driving around checking our Christmas Lights!!!  

Happy Holidays!!

Family Pictures

I found this AWESOME deal on Groupon.  We will not get into my new current obsession with Groupon. I seem to talk myself into things that I wouldn't normally do anyways.  There was a photographer that was expanding her clients and offered a photo shoot on location with a bunch of prints.  We had a ton of fun!!!!

All Images courtesy of Toe-z Pose-z Photography.  www.toezposez.com

Fall Leaves

Lucas loves to help.  WITH EVERYTHING!

He loves to help cook.  He likes to help with laundry.  He really likes to wash dishes in the sink.  It may make a mess but it keeps him occupied while I am cooking.  :)

He also loves to help Jim with everything too!  Mulching, cleaning up leaves, making messes for mom to clean up, etc.  Just like daddy!

Now it has been raining for what seems to be years and we can't play outside anymore.  BOO!

Family Reunion - Inspiration

Uncle Jack and Aunt Sally have celebrated 51 of years of marriage!  This is a major accomplishment that I wish/hope that Jim and I can achieve.  This weekend with them, watching them interact, the way they light up when the other walks in the room, the way the talk to each other and genuinely care is inspiration for everyone.  Happy Anniversary!

This weekend was eventful.  I flew to Milwaukee Friday night while my boys stayed home for the football game. I had a great time hanging out with Karen and catching up.  Saturday was so much fun!  I spent the day with Ali and her family!  oh I wish we lived closer together.  Watching her with Cadence and the twins is amazing.  I couldn't do it!  I was able to prepare all of my dishes for the reunion there and Cadence was a big help!

Martina, Dad, Uncle Jack, Aunt Sally
Me, Lucas, Jim
(four generations of the Kosmatka Family)

 

On the home front Lucas was at home for the football game with daddy.  Well Lucas was sick.  So Dr. Daddy had to step in.  This was only the 2nd time that I left Lucas overnight with Jimmy so of course when I heard he was sick I was looking for a way back to Lexington.  But my wonderful husband is amazing and handled a sick kid, guests at the house for the football game and even made the trip to Milwaukee on Sunday to surprise my Dad!  He is the best man in the world!!!!

It was nice to meet some of my relatives that I had never met before.  I found out that there are other crazy Kosmatkas in the world!!!!!!  Too bad I got sick too.  Oh this head cold is killing my but I have a wonderful man at home to take care of me.

Happy Halloween!!

This year was the first year that Lucas was able to actually trick or treat!  He also had a ton of fun for the whole weekend!
It started with his party at school!  They had all kinds of snacks, trick or treated between classrooms, wore costumes all day and had tons of fun!  I sent juice box mummies for snack time.

It was simple.  Medical tape, googly eyes and juice boxes.  I can't wait to make them again!

That night was the fall festival at Nana's church.  So of course more candy there!  Lucas and Bryce had tons of fun playing games, watching the bouncy castles, riding the ponies and feeding the animals.  He loves animals.

Pumpkins too!  Of course we carved pumpkins.  We ended up with 4 all together.  The boys did two one night and then all of us did two more on Sunday.  Of course power tools are needed.  (Jims Note:  use power tools to carve a pumpkin OUTSIDE)

 Trick or Treating time!  We took the Cat in the Hat around and he had tons of fun!  He was shy at the beginning but at the end of the trip he realized he was getting candy.  Each time he would ring the bell, say trick or treat and thank you.  We were proud.  After we finished we headed home to hand out candy to others that stopped by.  It was a fun night.  Nana even came over to enjoy!

He was more interested in turning the candles on and off.  (well blowing them out) it seems to be the most fun of the day!  Tuesday when I picked him up from school he asked if we could go to the neighbors houses for candy.  Silly boy thought we could do it again!!